Ring binder construction



Sept. 19, 1944.

J. SCHADE RING BINDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 28, 1943 INVENTOR (761w Jc/Mzw Patented Sept. 19, 1944 RING BINDER CONSTRUCTION 'John Schade, Holyoke, Mass; assignor to Na-' tional Blank Book Company, Holyoke, Mass, a

corporation of Massachusetts Application October 28, 1943; Serial No. 507,984

(Cl,- 129Z4) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in ring binders of thetype employing a wire arch frame in the toggle mechanism. This type has the advantages of a low manufacturing cost and the need for but a comparatively small amount of metal. It has the disadvantages that it is a t primarily adapted for but two rings in the binder, and the ways heretofore proposed in the art, for addin more rings lead into difliculties.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a new construction in which the advantages of the wire arch frame construction for the toggle mechanism may be retained and more rings than two put in the-structure in a very simple manner with the advantagesI will point out.

According to my invention I employ as a foundation a usual and simple form of wire arch frame. This consists of two wires having their ends bent into complementary ring halves, two mating toggle arches adjacent each end ring, and having a tendency to bow outwardly between the toggle arches when assembled in a sprin plate.

art.

-'-Io this foundation structure I add one or more This tendency is counteracted by the straight sides 2. Such tendency to bow outwardly is 'given to wires 3 by giving them an outward but slight permanent bend which is resiliently straightened out when assembled in the spring plate pockets which'are' straight as shown. The resultis that wires 3 have a strong tendency to lie straight and firmly engaged in'the pockets of the spring plate. This gives the additionalrings by the structure indicated in Fig.

5. This consists for each ring added of the two ringsegments 8.

a as at 9 or otherwise fastened to adjacent wire 3.

Their lower ends are welded They extend up through the spring cover plate for their upper ends to match as theother rings do. With such added ring segments onwires 3, the wire arch frame is assembled with the spring plate with substantially the same convenience as if the frame had only two instead of more than I two rings. The only difference is that the added To this foundation I add as many additional rings as desired, between the end rings, but without any additional toggle acting parts adjacent the additional rings. The way I do this is shown in the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the binder;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the binder;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the rings in open position;

Fig. 5 is a view on line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part essential to the combination in the practice of my invention.

As shown by the drawing, my structure consists of a spring cover plate I bent down at 2 to form pockets for wire members 3. The wire members 3 are bent to form toggle connections at 4 and ring halves at 5. The ring halves extend through openings 6 punched in the cover plate I,

and the toggle connections 4 lie on about the same plane as the bottom end of the cover plate sides I l or a little above thi plane when therings are in closed position and abut the stops I, punched down from the coverplate I, when the ring are in the open position as'in Fig. 4. The stops 1 'limit the opening of the rings to that amount con sidered necessary for desired operation of the binder. The wires 3, between the toggle connections 4, lie in straight pockets of the spring plate I formed by the bent down sides 2. In this position the wires 3 are held substantially straight. The wires 3 have a tendency to bow outwardly.

ring segments need to be threaded through the holes provided for them in the spring plate. The frame is flexible and the plate is sufficiently resilient for fast and easy assembly. In the assembly there is no cross connection between the wires 3 between their ends. Everything is loose until the toggle joints or connections 4 at opposite ends snap together.

The arrangement described is one which makes the assembly quick and easy. But after the assembly, there is a difficulty with the structure. While the tendency of wires 3 between toggles to bow outwardly will hold ring segments 8 so as to close properly under some conditions, they will striking against the desk, the ring segments-will foundation structure.

get out of closed positions at their end. One is frequently sprung down and caught under the other ring segment. This is of course a bad condition as the sheets will be torn if turned over without noticing the condition of that ring. A main purpose of my invention is to avoid this difficulty while retaining all the advantages of the To avoid such difficulty I provide the part shown in Fig, 6 by itself and. shown in Figs. 2 and 5 as part of the combination. It consists of a piece of thin sheet metal. It is channel foundation structure of the prior shaped to give stiffness. The flat top In and downwardly turned sides l4 make a stiiT piece position of Fig. 5, will hold the wires 3 from.

being sprung downwardly. This will prevent the.

upper ends of ring segments 8 from being sprung apart for one to get under theotherrandmake a misfit. The flat side In is preferably arranged in about the same plane as the lower edges H of bent down parts 2. Then when the assembly. is

fastened to the back panel of a binder there is a stop to prevent the'downward movement at-the plane. of. the fiatside. I0. Of course this sidev ispreferably shaped tofit the transverse form of theback panel. When the ring. segments 8 are.

opened the arch .ofspring plate I is flattened. The top edges of sides L4 then contactthe underside of the spring plate. A stop isithus provided against too much ring-opening. action. Thestop in this respect-cooperates with the stop-function 0f; depressions I forthe end ring action. Itwill be seen that the inner ends of segments 8 lie within the cavityformed bysides I0 and l4. Thisarrangement holds the piece of Fig.6 from. shifting lengthwise of' the spring; plate.-- It will now be seen that, my improved structure is finished when I snap into placea channeled-shaped strutinthe cross planeof each pair ofring-seg-- ments as seen in. Fig. 2. I have'retained all the advantages of the prior art structure in this way. It can be made exactly as before with all the advantages of economy of parts and assembly, then, by adding the separately made part of Fig. 6 by merely snapping it in place, a disadvantage of the prior art structure is avoided and the new combination works better.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

In a ring binder construction of'the'wire arch toggle frame typeproviding 'for end rings assembled in a spring cover plate with down turned edges holding the side wires, their toggle arrangements and their two end ring constructions in operative relation, the combination of at least one additional ring. construction formed by complementary ring prongs each with its lower end adjacent and mad fast to one of the side wires for its only connection to turn therewith and a support for the action of said additional ring conto span the distance between the, downturnededges of the cover plate, with-upturned sides pro.-

viding a narrow troughin which the lower ends of the said ring prongs may lie, and recesses in the side walls to engage and receive the side wires,

and top edges generally. following the transverse curve of the cover plate, said support. being adapted to snap into'position with said wall recesses engaged by the side wires with said base the rings are closedand permitthem to openas the toggle wires. spread the-cover plate in the toggle action.

JOHN, SCI-IADE, 

